


First Death

by creepthrutheseams



Series: Shadows and Ghosts [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 11:13:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4017619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creepthrutheseams/pseuds/creepthrutheseams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Death isn't always what we expect. It isn't always the end of the story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Death

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfic since 1999. But this story has been teasing at me for over a year; it contains ideas and places I am using in other work.
> 
> Long live the multi-verse!

“Scott told me everything. I can’t believe what a liar and sneak you are. Scott should’ve been my son, not you,” The Sheriff said. He gulped at his whiskey and pulled out an envelope. “These are emancipation papers. You leave today.” 

"But, Dad,” Stiles said.

“But nothing. I’m not your father any longer. You can take whatever will fit in your backpack.” 

Stiles practically flew up the stairs, afraid his father would change his mind about the backpack. He put his wallet in there along with the envelope of cash from his babysitting, birthdays, and such. He quickly launched a virus onto his own hard drive to ensure no one else would ever have access to all of his hard work, to all of his research. Stiles grabbed an extra pair of jeans, several pairs of socks and underwear, a couple of t-shirts, and his notebook. He pulled a blazer over his hoodie and slowly walked back down the stairs.

“Give me the keys,” The Sheriff had clearly kept drinking while his son packed.

Stiles handed over his keys and his phone. Then he walked out the door.

***

“Whatever you want, I don’t have time. I have actual pack members to find,” Derek said. He shoved Stiles off of the decrepit porch.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” Stiles said.

“You betrayed me. You can go to Scott.”

“Derek, look at me for one minute.” Stiles paused, took a deep breath, and said, “I had no idea what Scott was up to. I would never have let him use you like that. I get that I’m only human, but I’ve fought beside you. I’ve saved your life. That should count for something.”

“It doesn’t.” Derek walked away, got in his Camaro, and drove off.

Stiles didn’t know what to do. There was no one left for him to turn to. He’d known Derek was a long-shot. He started meandering through the woods, feet sure now that no one was watching. Something was calling to him. Eventually, he found his way to a huge tree stump. A woman about Derek’s age stood next to the stump, her features hard to see in the low light. “Hello, Stiles,” she said.

“Who are you?” Stiles found himself dropping his bag and walking toward the tree. It felt like a leash was tugging him. It felt hard to fight. No one would care what happened to him.

“I’m Julia Baccari and you are going to help me defeat the Alpha Pack.”

"How?” Stiles found himself sitting in the center of the stump, a little confused about how he’d moved and why.

“Your death will bring me great power. Your death will prevent me from killing twelve others. Do you want to save twelve lives?” she asked.

It seemed like a reasonable question. “Of course I want to save people’s lives. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do. I just wanted to help.”

“You’ll help me if you do this. And in return, I promise to protect your Pack.” Julia stepped closer, lifting her hand to brush at his hairline.

“I don’t have a pack. I’m only human.” Stiles ignored his own tears, ignored his scrapes and bruises. “I don’t have anyone. Don’t you need a sacrifice that will mean something?”

“There’s far more to you, Stiles, than you or anyone else realizes. You have the potential for a full and magical life. You have the potential for greatness. With that potential, I can change this world for the better.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“You probably shouldn’t. But you have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I’m offering you a way out and a way to still help. You give me the names of any five people and I will see to it they survive the next year.” 

"My dad.” Stiles seemed to get lost in thought. Julia waited patiently. She had all the time in the world for this sacrifice, for the homme vert. According to the local druids this boy was a virgin, a healer, a protector, an advisor, and (most importantly) loyal. This boy was to lead the Jacks and instead he would allow her to claim vengeance. Stiles spoke quietly, “Jackson Whittemore who never had anyone to really look out for him. Peter Hale who needs a chance for redemption. Derek Hale who needs a chance at forgiveness.”

“That’s only four,” Julia said.

“Scott was my only friend and he sold me out for his girlfriend. My dad gave up on being my parent when my mom died. I don’t have anyone else.”

“There’s no one else?”

“How about any mystery Hales?” Stiles smiled. “If Peter could come back from the dead, maybe someone else will too.”

“Alright.” Julia came closer and lifted her knife. “This is going to hurt.”

***

Over the course of the next year anyone who had access to the energies converging on or near the Nemeton found their ability to draw on those energies greatly diminished.

By the end of the year, long after Julia Baccari’s death, long after the Alpha Pack’s defeat, around the time of Ally A’s possession by the Nogitsune, no one could access the power at all. Instead it grew and changed.

The local druids, the local covens, even the local shapeshifter all noticed its effects, but none of them could figure out how to change anything.

Stiles Stilinski was never declared missing or dead. His body and belongings were never found.

Julia Baccari never told anyone how she’d amassed so much power.


End file.
